In a Christmas Moment
by Deanlu
Summary: Jane always seems to stumble into problems, even on an innocent errand on Christmas Eve.


**In A Christmas Moment**

**Rizzoli and Isles are the expressed property of TNT and Tess Gerritson. I am just borrowing them for a little fun.**

"Don't move or I'll shoot!" Jane wasn't sure how this could be happening as she looked as the young kid; barely fifteen or sixteen was holding the gun on her. The detective glanced over at the scared liquor store clerk, whom was shaking uncontrollably in fear. Jane knew the situation was hanging by a thin thread and any movement would set the scared kid with the gun in motion. She had interrupted the robbery when she walked through the front door.

Maura had given her a list of items to pick up before the monster snowstorm hit Boston within the next few hours. Jane had agreed to run out and pick up the items since she had needed to stop by a jeweler to pick up a special gift for Maura, the said item that was now snugged in her jacket pocket. She wasn't on call for the next four days as she and Maura had taken the time off. All the groceries were in the car. She had planned a quick stop by the liquor store for three bottles of Maura's favorite wine and beer.

"Now calm down. It's Christmas Eve and we don't want anyone getting hurt." The boy pointed the gun at the clerk and then switched it back to Jane. "I'm just going to move to the right here and let you pass. You can be on your way." Jane had begun to shift her weight.

"NO! Don't move!" A shot was fired from the gun that went astray very close to the detective. The kids face looked shock, but he didn't lower the gun. If anything he looked even more scared then before and his hand began to shake.

"Okay, okay! Just don't shoot again, please." Jane looked at the clerk who had started to cry. The shot had passed near enough the detective had heard it when it went passed near her ear. It had then deflected off the metal to Jane's left embedding into an Anderson Sea Salt potato chip bag. _No wonder Maura says those things will kill you, _Jane thought as she gazed briefly at the bullet hole in the bag... The security mirror in the back showed two patrons slipping out the back door of the store. Jane minds flashed to Maura waiting near the fire, dinner on the table, and her family arriving within the hour. "You have the money, just go. No one here is going to say anything." The kid began to move toward the door when suddenly red flashing lights shown into the liquor stores front windows.

"Shit! I knew this would happen," the kid's voice swore out. "Move over here," he said as he motioned to Jane. When Jane didn't move he shook the gun threateningly at her to get her to move.

"Okay, I am moving." Jane moved slowly past the kid toward where the clerk was by the counter. Before she could react, the kid grabbed her and placed the gun to her head.

"You're my ticket out of here. They either let me pass or you die with me. Got it?" Jane closed her eyes for a moment, sent all the love she could toward Maura, and nodded. "You!" The kid pointed at the clerk. "Get out of here." The clerk ran to the back of the store. "Now lady, you follow my directions and you'll live! You understand!"

"Yes, I understand. But I am telling you if anything happens to me, there isn't a hole deep enough you'll be able to hide. You understand?" The kid laughed and shook his head.

"You don't seem to understand who is in charge. But I hear ya lady. Now, we are going to walk out that door and to my car. If they try and take me down, you die first." Jane nodded and wondered if she could survive a shot to the head. Nope, if the shot didn't kill her Maura definitely would after she recovered. Better to wait and see what happens then to try and take the kid down now.

"Ya know, even if you get away it changes everything." Jane was saying as sweat beaded on her forehead. "It changes who you are. I am sure you have a good reason for doing this, but once you do this it makes it so hard to change."

"You don't get it. My father's a drunk and left us. My mother works three jobs and still can't feed us. I have to do something. My brother and sister don't deserve this kind of life." The kid's eye's darted around trying to keep track of everything going on outside.

"You can still stop all this. I'll get help for your mom and family. But this, this will change you in their eyes and your future. You really don't want to do this kid."

"Steven! My names, Steven. I suppose you deserve to know it if you're gonna die with me tonight." Steven squeezed Jane's arm and readied himself to leave the store.

"I am not going to die and neither are you." Jane said with utter seriousness. The kid shook his head again and then pushed her toward the door.

The kid looked out, cracked the door and yelled out, "I have a hostage. She and I are coming out. If you as much as flinch I will shoot her. We are going to my car and you are letting me drive away." The kid then kicked the door open and pushed Jane forward. As they left the store, Jane counted three police cars and six officers with guns drawn. Then she swore under her breath as one of the cops she recognized as her brother, Frankie. In the back she could see WBZ Channel 38 CBS news with their cameras trained on the action. God, she hoped they weren't watching the news at Maura's.

"Don't shoot." Frankie yelled out, "Do not shoot. He has a hostage." Frankie began speaking into his radio as the officers remained in place with guns drawn. The officers watched as the kid moved slowly toward the car. The kid kept the gun aimed at Jane's head. The parking lot was covered in ice and snow so it was slow, slippery going.

"My keys are in my pocket, reach into the pocket and pull them out." The kid was real nervous as two more squad cars had arrived and several other vehicles that Jane could not clearly see. Jane slid her scar ridden hand into the pocket latching onto the keys just as the kid hit a slippery patch of snow. Jane dropped, the gun went off, and then all went silent.

Next thing Jane knew Frankie was standing over her holding her head, the kids was in cuffs and being led away to a squad car. "Don't move Jane." It was her brother's voice.

"Damn, what happened Frankie?" Her brother held her head in place while the newly arrived EMT's checked her over. 

"Just a badly banged head officer, I think the bullet missed you." The EMT moved Jane's head slightly. "We will get you to the hospital and have you fixed up."

"No way! I have an evening planned with Maura." Jane was already rising to sit. The EMT and Frankie tried to stop her, but she refused him. "Do I look like I have a hole in my head?"

The EMT shook his head. "No officer Rizzoli, but you may have a concussion…" Jane's glare told him he would not win the argument.

"Fine! I live with a doctor. She will take care of it. Just give me the damn medical release form." Jane's head was more than throbbing by now. She had obviously lost consciousness after hitting the icy parking lot, but she would be damned if she was going to miss four days off with Maura.

"Jane, they're holding Maura back. She came when she saw the news report." Frankie said softly, as he helped his sister to stand. Jane was unsteady on her feet so she welcomed his firm grip.

"Better let her get over here before she hurts someone Frankie." Her brother nodded, and spoke into his radio as Jane leaned against the young kid's car. She looked inside. The bullet had gone through the side window and out the back shattering them thoroughly. She let out a shaky breath recognizing how close she had come again. She leaned over a little which caused her to sway from a dizzy spell. She felt a firm, but gentle hand grab hold of her.

"What am I going to do with you detective? I can't even send you out on a small set of errands alone." Jane chuckled as she snuggled into Maura's embrace. Maura and Frankie led Jane to Frankie's police car. Where she filled out an incident report, and then signed the releases for the EMT. Maura tried to talk her into having her head checked, but Jane refused. Before Jane left the scene she whispered quietly to Frankie. He looked at her puzzled, but nodded. "What were you talking with Frankie about Jane?"

"Ask me later my love." Jane kissed Maura softly silencing her argument. "Trust me Maura. Please," the detective pleaded in a hushed whisper. Maura nodded; just thankful she had her detective safe and sound by her side.

Now three hours later, safely absconded in Maura's home with friends and family Jane felt more like herself, except for the dull throbbing headache. However, the ice pack and ibuprofen were working wonders for that too. Not to mention Maura's amazing hands massaging her neck as she lay in her lap on the couch. The threatening storm had just started turning everything around the city to an amazing white wonderland. Frankie arrived just as the storm began. He had traded the rest of his shift with a fellow officer in trade for Christmas day.

"Hey," Frankie's soft voice roused Jane from her comfortable drifting in Maura's lap. He looked up at the medical examiner, who was relaxed and seemed to have shed most of the nervous tension that had been present earlier.

"I'm awake." Frankie smiled as he gazed on his sister's peaceful face. He thanked God he could see it alive with all the vibrancy showing within it, instead of rigid, pale and lifeless on the medical examiners table.

"It's all taken care of though Judge Ralston was not real happy and he says you now owe him one." Jane nodded and grimaced at this piece of information. "He also told me to tell you that you are a big softy and he won't let anyone else know your secret. " Frankie could see Jane was ready for an argument until he raised his hand. "As for the other it has been done. I was told to give this to you. It is from Steven's mom.

Jane nodded, and then grabbed her head as the headache that was still bothering her made itself be known. Frankie leaned over and gave her a kiss. "You're a good person officer Rizzoli; don't let anyone ever tell you different." Frankie then got up and went in search for food.

"Maur, I'll be back in a second." Jane rose up from her comfortable and walked to Maura and her bedroom. Maura looked after Jane, and then went to the kitchen where Frankie was eating.

"Frankie? What's going on?" Frankie was munching on turkey and lasagna. Angela came to sit nearby. "It's really not my place to tell." Frankie saw Maura wasn't going to let him off the hook. "The young man that held up the liquor store tonight, Jane had him placed into special holding. Then she called in a favor with the DA and Judge Ralston and had him judicated tonight on a lesser sentence. He has to serve some time, but he will be going into the training program that Ralston's starting to try and reform first time offenders. If all works out, he will be released in June. He will then be on probation while attending college." Maura couldn't believe it, neither could Angela. "That's not all Jane had the Boston Police Department deliver Christmas to Steven's family and offered Steven's mom the job in the clerk's office that has been vacant for the last year. It will allow her to earn enough that she won't have to work the three jobs and will be able to move into a new apartment. She will start the day after Christmas."

"You have a real winner there Maura; better not let her get away." Maura had tears running down her cheeks. She wiped them away and nodded.

"I think I will go and find my hero." Maura said as she got up and headed toward the bedroom.

"Maura," Frankie called. Maura stopped and turned to give him her attention. "Don't let her watch the news coverage; the news is reporting the hero cop took the perp down with some type of martial arts move. She actually slipped and fell just at the right moment. If she hadn't, tonight would have been very different." Maura knew exactly what he meant as she exchanged a knowing look with Angela and Frankie.

Jane was sitting on the end of the bed tears silently leaking down her face, the opened letter in her shaking hands when Maura stepped into the bedroom. Softly she moved to the bed and gathered her fiancé into her arms. Jane's silent tears slowly ended and she relaxed into Maura's side.

"May I?" Maura asked as she pointed toward the letter. Jane nodded and handed the letter to Maura.

_Dear Detective Rizzoli,_

_ I want to deeply thank you for your kindness and forgiveness. I did not raise my son to be the person you saw tonight. I appreciate you giving him a second chance. I appreciate you giving us a chance. So many times in life we have seen the negative side of the Boston Police Department. I am happy to see there is still hope within it. You truly are a miracle Detective Rizzoli. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will never forget the kindness you have provided us. See you at work day after Christmas._

_Sincerely,_

_Ms. Anders_

Maura smiled, the tears running down her face. "You are amazing Jane Rizzoli. In one Christmas moment you have changed that young man and his family's life." Maura kissed Jane deeply. She pulled back and looked the detective in the eyes, "Just like you changed me and my life. Thank You Jane." Jane pulled Maura back into a heartfelt, deeply passionate kiss.

"No more than how you have changed my life Dr. Maura Isles." Jane reached behind her on the bed grabbing the long jewelry box. "I was going to give this to you later, but now is a good time I think."

Maura leaned back from Jane and opened the box. Inside was a simple gold necklace, with a gold heart. Two white diamonds with Jane's birthstone in the middle. "I know diamonds symbolize love, purity, and prosperity. They surround my birthstone because that's your love and what it had done and given to me. I love you Maura Isles." Maura could barely contain her emotions as Jane removed the necklace and placed it around her neck. Then kissed her softly and hugged her tightly.

"Merry Christmas Maura," Jane whispered.

"OH Jane!" Maura kissed her again. "I love you, Merry Christmas."

Outside the snow fell gently covering the landscape in a white, cold blanket. Inside the gentle warmth of love of Christmas buoyed those fragile mortal souls for another year.

**Merry Christmas ALL! Please Review!**


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